Hey Zeus, I just thought I would chime in here, because I can see both sides of this. I myself am a site supporter because:
1) I love this forum (it is far and away the best forum I am a member of)
2) The info is invaluable, saves me loads of money and time, and I don't want to see it disappear. EVER.
3) I completely understand how web forums work, are setup and maintained, and because of that I understand and appreciate what Moncha does for all of us, just to keep this forum running.
4) The folks on this forum are some of the best daytime company a poor, deskbound soul like myself could ask for.
Now, all that said, I am also a DIE HARD believer that the Internet should be a place to get FREE information, devoid of censorship and authority. Unfortunately, we all know the Internet has become an ugly, commercialized, mutated monster that is basically made up of scams, bugs, redundant false information, fraud, paranoia, and porn. There are VERY FEW quality websites out there anymore, and the few that remain struggle to survive, just like my gas mask site (Le Masque a Gaz). My site is the result of 12 years of collecting, research, photography, and HARD WORK. If you want to see my labor of love, there it is. It costs me a lot of money to keep up, and the bandwidth I push through is immense. I have never asked for donations, never run ads on my site, and I have never taken it down, even now, after being totally done with the hobby. I am basically putting all that behind me, but I feel to remove my site would be a disservice to the people out there who appreciate it, and it would also make all those years of collecting and work meaningless. So even after I am done selling off most of my collection, I have no plans to down it. Anyway, what I am getting at, is that I keep my site FREE. This is how the Internet should be, and there are people who cling fast to the idea of this freedom of information. And when these free, adless and fraudless sites are taken down, the Internet will be nothing but a giant electronic shopping mall appropriately situated next to a festering landfill of meaningless and endless garbage.
Now again, like I said, I see both sides of it. I probably could and maybe I should ask for donations to keep Le Masque a Gaz up....but for me, it just isn't my style.
So in a long-winded nutshell, what I am saying, is that donations are 100% optional, and you can't fault people for not chipping in. They are probably not free loaders (well, most of them anyway). They would just rather spend $20 on a dinner at Chilis, than on this website. On the same token, when VehiCROSS.info goes down forever (hopefully never), those same people who didn't chip in better not whine....because ultimately, it is we, the "fans" who keep places like VehiCROSS.info and GasMasks.net alive.
Bart
Originally Posted by ZEUS
You know, Trek, I just have one intention by using labels like that, and it is not to offend. They are only used as a way of hinting to some folks that it may be time to contribute to the site. Maybe it will register to some who don't take it so personally. So if you or anyone else takes offense to those terms, truly, I apologize. Maybe my words are a little harsh - bad on me. I don't mean to bully people into doing something they don't want to do. However, leaving others to pay for information they themselves have provided while certain folks decide to take it for free, providing nothing in return, gets under my skin. And I am not alone here; I have talked to other members who are equally displeased with such users. In my eyes, it is like draft-dodging or tax fraud. But I will get off my high horse cuz I have no ill will toward anyone, and God forbid I be "l33t". Just let me say, it is not fair to expect the few to pay for the many. It is not fair to assume Moncha will improve site operations and put down the extra cash for a bunch of people who only choose to take advantage of HIS "Labor of Love".
So for those who think that makes sense:
And for those who think taking, while giving nothing in return, is a-ok:
Otherwise, I hope to see you VXers in Moab or some other event that will be organized thru this great forum cuz I have never met a VXer I didn't like, whether they were a site supporter or not!
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Hopefully, it won't deter others from supporting the site...
), I felt it was the least I could do.
